


Out of the Woods

by taekaneru



Series: Find The Way [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cuddling, Domestic, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 09:43:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20905589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taekaneru/pseuds/taekaneru
Summary: His other hand wraps itself around the handle, pushes down, pulls. The door opens with a creaking noise, giving way slowly, a heavy weight in his hand.Or:Chanyeol’s clumsiness and bad luck get him one possibly slighty exceptional friend.





	Out of the Woods

**Author's Note:**

> I had to kill some time hanging around at the airport waiting for my flight, so this thing forced its way out. Best pastime ever!

In principle, Chanyeol should call himself lucky that he had failed his exam in structural geology. He’d decided to postpone this one as it had been his last, in order to maximize the time studying for it, but it had not worked out, the exam had been too tough. All efforts had been in vain. 

Still, missing just one point for passing the exam, he had of course made an appointment with his professor to maybe dig up the missing point. Perhaps someone had miscalculated his results? But it had been no use, all points had been counted correctly and the result stood: _Exam not passed._

He had been devasted, of course, because this had been his last exam before he would start on his final thesis project. He had told his professor so and maybe whined a bit too much, so he had been given a last chance: Write a twenty-page paper about a project which they would assign him during his summer semester break. 

His assignment consists of planning and documenting an excursion to Bukhansan National Park, probably stay a few nights in a tent, while getting to a spot where he can take some soil samples and conduct some measurement series about elevation and structure of the grounds. All has to be documented meticulously and written down in most detail. As a follow up of his trip, he’d have to conduct the calculations, statistics and program the geographical visualizations at home.

As this is the kind of work he wants to do anyhow – and why he’d chosen this study program – this will be a great preparation for his thesis.

He congratulates himself that his insistent nature had convinced his professor.

Field work is more of his thing, anyway, as he loves nature and being outdoors. He always feels more in tune with himself when he is alone out there and can breathe properly again. From time to time, he needs something like this. In solitude, he can think better, work flows freely, and he even often feels inspired enough to make small drawings, write some poems or even lyrics to melodies which come to mind.

This is why he finds himself at the train station just outside the national park, large backpack strapped firmly to his shoulders and hips. He checks his phone, his GPS, and his watch again, and starts to walk towards the entrance. He will need to make at least a trip of six hours today, breaks included, to find a spot deep enough into the woods to make for a good start. 

On the second day, as is planned, he will arrive at a quarry where he can do a few samplings and take the main measurements for the project. Maybe he can also document something today, if he sees interesting spots.

The weather is fine. The last weeks had been super-hot, but since last week the temperature has dropped by ten degrees C and a few heavy rainfalls have nurtured the nature again after the heat. The morning air today is fresh, the sun just starting to rise and the vicinity just awaking as well. Chanyeol breathes in deeply, a smile setting itself onto his face. He loves this so much.

Starting the navigation on his GPS, he makes for the main track first, then following smaller turnings and paths further down the forests.

The air is still moist from the night so in the early morning and the smaller paths are often slightly slippery. Chanyeol has to watch his step closely to not skid over the muddy tracks and slippery roots that wind over the way.

Often, he stops and takes pictures, and as long as reception is still available, he posts some of the photos on Instagram to keep his friends and family updated. He also takes some longer breaks to sit down, eat a bit of his provisions, and enjoy nature to its fullest. And, of course, to write down some notes on the progress of his project.

One of the things he likes most about the forests, in particular, is the smell of the trees, the soil, the leaves. And now, because the last rainfalls are only dating back a few days, the smell is even more potent.

When he starts again up his path, he checks the GPS, if he’s still on track and time. Looks good, so he can start searching for a place to set up his tent for the first night in, let’s say, two hours from now on. Then there should be enough time to prepare something for dinner, perhaps a pot of tea as well, before dusk settles into the night.

He is walking for some time until he notices that something has changed. 

Chanyeol’s backpack is heavy on his shoulders, and somehow the straps don’t fit as well since he last set the backpack down and stuffed some rock samples into it. He fumbles for the straps fastened around his hips to distribute the weight of the backpack evenly and feels something digging uncomfortably into his back. Squeezing a hand between his back and the bag, he notices that the belts of the bag are knotted and twisted. Cursing, he pulls at them and twists them flat again.

Musing about why he walked with this mess for an hour at most, he decides to loosen the straps across his chest to lift the backpack off his shoulders and onto a moss-covered tree trunk. A little break before he makes for the last leg of today, until he sets up the tent, won’t do any harm. He untangles the straps, pausing to get a few gulps from his water bottle as well and then heaves the bag onto his shoulders again.

He checks his watch - half past 5 - should be okay if he makes to find a spot for staying the night soon. It’s not even dusk, but the sun will set in two hours, so he should be prepared unless he wants to set his small tent up in the dark. The light in the forest vanishes faster than elsewhere, as the dense growth of the plants and trees shields everything from the last rays of the sun.

Chanyeol decides to walk on for a bit, still deeper into the forest. He should easily be able to reach the quarry by tomorrow, and some especially interesting rock layering constructions there promise the success of his project, he’s sure. And he knows that if he will include a geographical visualization of the elevation levels this into his paper, a nice grade is _so_ guaranteed. 

Nothing wrong with a bit of effort.

He also checks his GPS device, already out of habit, and yes, he’s still quite on track. Pulling out his mobile phone for any new messages, he notices that he must have lost reception some time ago, as the last messages by Sehun are from two hours ago and his last post is still pending and not online.

Sighing, he stuffs the phone back into his pocket. Good thing that he brought the GPS routing device, as he anticipated that this deep into the woods, his phone and google maps would not be of any use.

Also, doing geology work without GPS is nonsense.

Whistling a little and wondering why there are so few animals out here in the woods - he hears so little noise besides the leaves of the trees - he walks on. The path is getting a bit steeper, and as it is covered with lots of roots from the trees, a bit more difficult to conquer as well. 

Letting his eyes stray up from the path, following the knobby large roots up to the trunk of a huge tree, he is awed again at the majestic atmosphere of the forest. He takes a deep breath of fresh, woodsy air, he takes another few steps and admires the large crowns of the trees, so high up that he cannot make out distinct leaves anymore, just a plain green mass.

All air leaves him on his next step though, as his right foot is caught by an especially flexible root. Snapping his head back down instantly, he tries to extricate his foot, but it’s too late.

This has to be a joke? And this way he’s going to die.

He’s already mid-fall, and then his other foot slips as well, the right one still tangled in some kind of rope like plant, and, slipping backwards and tilting almost upside down, backpack pushing his center of gravity off, he crashes onto something hard and then there’s all black and he’s out.

\---

The first thing Chanyeol feels after who knows how long, is a thrumming, piercing pain all over his forehead. He takes a shuddering breath. It’s all wet and thick. He cannot get enough air.

He groans hoarsely, tries again, and the pain splits his head in two. 

He attempts to move his body, and is so, so relieved that his arms and legs seem to work that he feels his face getting wetter still. Tears run over his cheeks, trickle down into the mossy soil of the ground. Whimpering, he tries to open his eyes, only to notice he has them already open. It’s pitch-black outside.

Pulling his hands to his sides, he pushes himself up from the ground slowly, tucking his knees in, and shifts, so he can sit upright again.

The pain in his head flares up mightily at the change of direction, and he cries some more for good measure. Fucking fuck! How long did he lie here?

He sniffles and coughs weakly. Tucking his hand into the arm of his sweater, he wipes at his face, carefully for the tender bruising. His eyes and brain seem to have adapted a bit better to the dark, so when he looks at his sweater then, the fabric is stained dark where it had been light grey before.

“Oh my god,” Chanyeol sobs again, rocking softly to the side, “Oh my god.”

He tries to pull himself up by grabbing at the trunk of a tree, fingers slipping on the wood. He needs several attempts, backpack still on and pulling him backwards, but, miracle of miracles, it works. He leans heavily on the tree, hugging it to calm his pulse and the tilting vision before his eyes. Sparks dance in the outer fringes of his eyes. Still, his head does not appear to kill him after he waited a few minutes. His breathing settles a bit. The pain in his head is only thrumming and not piercing anymore. Maybe he can still make it.

Shaking, he searches for his phone in the pocket of his jeans, lifts it up and is blinded by the screen glowing much to bright. 3:24 am.

“Oh my god,” he repeats, not needing to calculate the hours he was out. Judging from the pain, it had been too long. Still, though, no reception.

He looks around, peering into the forest. He cannot see anything among the trees. Probably only five meters far, if he’s lucky. There is almost no light from the moon as it is quite cloudy. Mist seems to cover the first half meter over the ground where the bushes are low and dense.

What surprises him is that now that it’s dark, he can hear so much going on in the forest that he wonders where the animals have been hiding before. He hears rustling in the bushes, some birds shrieking, whistling, some quiet chirping noises near the ground. Somewhere in the distance, there are even loud growls. 

An owl or something lets out a mortifying scream directly above him, high up in the trees. He shudders, terrified, hoping that there’s nothing dangerous here, nothing out there to get and eat him. 

He forces down another rush of fear.

Now that he knows what happened (supposedly), that he can see and hear again, he feels drowned in helplessness. He does not know how to survive the next hours until it would get light again, he cannot find his GPS and the backpack weighs him down as much as a ton of bricks would. Not to mention the throbbing in his head.

Just when he is to give in to another bout of pathetical crying, hoping the tears clear his head enough so that he will know what to do, he notices a small light in the nearer distance. 

Or how far it might be? Could be anything. Perhaps there is a hut where a forester lives? Or some person who can help him? Best case scenario? 

Worst case scenario: There’s a serial killer hideout. 

Heaving a wet breath, he lets go of the tree carefully, staying on unsteady feet, swaying lightly.

As there are not real other options, he decides that if he can make it there, perhaps he can stay there and will be able to survive until the next morning as well.

Pulling himself together with all his might, clenching his teeth against the warping vision, he takes one careful step at once. The mist obscures the ground almost completely, but he pushes each foot forward cautiously before leaning his weight on it. He counts under his breath, from ten to one, and again from ten to one, and again, until he’s made it down the path a good section. He then stumbles over a clearing towards the left and over some grassy areas where the mist has cleared completely. 

All the while, he squints his eyes to not lose sight of the light glimmering in front of him between the trees.

After a few moments, he’s suddenly directly in front of a small wooden house. Inside there glow a few candles or lamps. He peers through the window, but he cannot make out if there’s someone inside. Feeling his way over towards the door, he knocks tentatively, knuckles rapping against the wood, the sound loud and dull.

Nothing.

He shifts, knocks again, a bit more forcefully.

“H-hello?” he pipes up. “Is someone home?”

Again, nothing.

Chanyeol waits a few moments more, but he is getting restless. The humidity of the forest is creeping into his shoes, his jeans feel damp on his knees and his heart still thumps twice as strong in his head than in his chest. He presses a flat hand on the wooden door frame.

His other hand wraps itself around the handle, pushes down, pulls. The door opens with a creaking noise, giving way slowly, a heavy weight in his hand.

Chanyeol swallows around the lump in his throat. Warm air flows out of the house, wrapping itself around his body. He cannot resist. He enters, taking a trembling step onto the threshold.

“Hello? I’m sorry, is there someone?”

The house is quiet when he enters, small, but cozy. He decides he will wait inside by the door, until the owner will show up. It would surely be okay?

It definitely looks as the inhabitant has left just shortly. The oil lamps on the large table glow bright, and there’s still some dishes piled up onto the sink of the small kitchenette. A pot steams on the hearth, smelling spicy and hearty. His stomach rumbles, and he cowers down a bit, hands coming up to cross in front of his abdomen. 

Opposite of the kitchen, a large cupboard and a cozy couch complete the room where he’s standing. There are two further doors, closed. He lets his gaze wander over the shelves full of jars and glasses with liquids and stuff and looks upwards to the ceiling. It goes up high and a few small windows reflect the light darkly up there. The paneling on the inside of the roof is covered almost completely with bouquets of what seem to be dried herbs. The smell of the house is comforting, woodsy, flowery, and so, so warm.

Chanyeol sighs and breathes in deeply. Even not knowing who will find him here and if they will kick him out again or possibly kill him: For the time being, he feels safe.

He lets his backpack slide down, a groan tearing itself from his throat in relief. He slumps down beside his bag, leans on the wooden wall next to the door, long legs stretched out in front of him. Tilting his head back against the wall, he closes his eyes, and exhales, relaxing his body into the room.

As exhausted as Chanyeol is, sleep comes easily to him, even though he’s anxious to find out into whose house he has trespassed.

However, soon, deeps breaths raise and lower his chest, and his eyes are flickering under the lids.

He dreams a dreamless sleep, and when he gets conscious again, it’s because he hears flaps of wings over him. Some of them making the air drag over his face crisply, and there’s a cold, fresh smell that follows the circulations. There’s also some rustling, directly in front of him, and that is so pronounced that he decides something must have happened.

He is about to open his eyes and check, when –

“What _the fuck_ are you doing in my house?” a deep voice asks, slowly, and clearly annoyed.

He shoots up to sitting straight in the space of half a second. 

No one came through the door? The creaking would have been unmistakable!

He looks up terrified and immediately spots a man in all black clothes glaring down at where he’s sitting on the floor.

“Wha- what, _who are you?_ How did you get in here?” 

“This is my house,” the man replies stoically, adjusting his glasses. “_And_ I asked first.”

“I- I,” Chanyeol stutters, totally stunned by the intimidating presence of the man. “I was lost, and then I fell, and, and- my head hurts so much,” he rambles, tears creeping back into his eyes as the consciousness brings the pain back up front to his mind in an instant.

He sniffles.

“I didn’t know what to do? I’m so sorry. Please don’t hurt me,” he manages to get out, forcing his tears back. This is already so embarrassing; he does not need to cry to make things worse still.

The guy crouches down in front of him, slowly, bringing a hand to his jaw and tilts his head up.

Chanyeol is trembling, biting on this lip to stifle a whimper, and looks into the face of the guy. His eyes are so big, and round, his lips are thick, eyebrows stern, and his face looks rather impassive. Yet, he looks calm and composed. Also, far too terrifying.

“This looks rather bad,” he observes, tilting Chanyeol’s face gently with strong, but soft, fingers.

“Your apology is accepted,” he then says absently, and Chanyeol coughs wetly as relief floods his body. He does not think he can cope with another attack – of whatever kind - again.

“You can stay here. Wait a moment, I get some things to clean your wound.”

“You- you don’t have to,” Chanyeol interjects, and when the guy looks sternly into his eyes, with a mocking tilt of his eyebrows, he adds, “I’m sorry, I just don’t want to cause you any more trouble.”

“It’s okay. You got yourself injured - probably concussed - while you were walking in my forest, so I’m responsible for your healing.”

“Your forest?” Chanyeol asks. “Are you a forest ranger?”

The guy chuckles in his throat. “Something like that,” he affirms, and then pats Chanyeol on the shoulder before he gets up and starts to rummage in the cupboard across the room.

Chanyeol’s eyes trail after him. He looks rather well built, though it’s nothing too obvious, as the guy is almost completely covered in in clothes, sporting black trousers and a woolen turtleneck. The only skin he can see is above his high collar and at his hands. However, he looks tanned, his skin smooth. His back looks broad, although he must be at least a head shorter than Chanyeol, he thinks. Well, could be a hitman still.

When the guy turns, a first aid kit in hand, he goes to wet a towel in the sink at the small kitchen at the side. Chanyeol averts his eyes, stops himself from staring too openly at his probable savior.

The man then sits down across from Chanyeol on the floor, and this is when Chanyeol remembers he did not even introduce himself.

“Uh, my- my name is Park Chanyeol, by the way,” he states shyly.

He looks up from his fumbling hands into the guy’s face, to spot just a hint of a smile there.

“Do Kyungsoo,” the man says. 

Sounds credible. Do hitmen introduce themselves so thoughtlessly? 

He then starts approaching Chanyeol’s face with the towel.

“This could hurt a bit, the blood coagulated already,” he states, and presses the towel to Chanyeol’s forehead.

Chanyeol almost falls forward into the touch, whimpering, but the pain when Kyungsoo starts gently rubbing at the wound does not even feel that awful. Kyungsoo’s other hand comes up, grabbing his shoulder to steady his upper body, and he feels almost all energy completely drained.

“It’s okay,” Kyungsoo murmurs, and Chanyeol did not even recognize how tense he had been the whole time since he woke up with his mouth full of forest soil. He exhales shakily and leans more towards Kyungsoo.

The warmth of the room and the whole atmosphere, the smell of dried herbs, make him immensely sleepy. He feels exhausted to the bone, and just wants to feel warm and safe. And _that_ he feels now, in the presence of this strange, but kind man.

Kyungsoo hums softly, cleaning his wound thoroughly, also sliding the towel down his face and cleans the tracks of blood and tears which had run down his face. He still has a firm grip on Chanyeol’s shoulder when he brushes some strands of his light hair back and applies some balm to his wound. He then shifts his hand towards Chanyeol’s nape to tilt his head back a bit.

Chanyeol has his eyes closed, he feels warm and the pain of his wound is only like a dull pressure in the back of his mind. He smells the wooden interior of the house, a slight smoky residue from a fireplace and feels Kyungsoo’s breath on his neck. He is surprised at himself, as he never thought something so profane like first aid by a stranger could feel so intimate. But then, after all he went through today, he couldn’t care less.

Kyungsoo smells dark, a hint of spice, but also fresh like forest night air. When Kyungsoo puts a compress onto the wound and attaches it with strips of tape, he feels almost sad that the procedure is over now.

“All done,” Kyungsoo affirms quietly, stuffing the remaining utensils back into the kit.

“Thank you,” Chanyeol breathes, still not wanting to open his eyes. He is swaying a bit, forward and then backward.

When Kyungsoo does not stand up but seems to stay put in front of him, he does raise his lids eventually. Their eyes meet, and Chanyeol’s breath catches in his lungs at the galaxies which appear in the other man’s dark eyes, almost all pupil. There is some kind of dark sparkle in his eyes. His expression is serene.

His face is so handsome.

Chanyeol feels heat spread in his stomach. If someone would have told him that he would almost die in the forests only to be saved by the most handsome person who he has ever laid eyes upon, who did not kick him out the moment he was discovered in having broken into his house… he would have laughed his ass off.

But now, sitting so close to Kyungsoo, having been cared for and feeling cherished and grateful to be able to let go for a moment, he just wants to indulge a bit longer. Eyes slipping closed again, he lets himself sink forward again, and as they are still so close, it only takes a few moments until he rests his head on Kyungsoo’s shoulder, face turned into his neck.

The enveloping warmth is lulling him in further, and he sighs as he places his weight on the other man, who seems to be taking it so well.

When he feels Kyungsoo’s arm come to rest on his upper back, stroking softly, he lets himself relax completely.

“Thank you again,” he breathes against the smooth, warm skin of Kyungsoo’s neck, lips almost touching the warm flesh, where his pulse seems to be thrumming strongly below. The smell of the other man is stronger here still, the wooden scent so comforting, and together with the scent of warm skin, he feels endlessly sleepy.

They sit together like that for a few moments.

“You have to rest properly,” Kyungsoo finally breaks the silence with a whisper. “Let me help you to the bed.”

“Hnn…,” Chanyeol replies, delirious and already half asleep.

“Come on, just up and over there.”

“O-okay,” he whispers, “Help me?”

“Of course.”

Kyungsoo pushes him gently from their embrace, stands and helps Chanyeol up very slowly, pulling him to stand. He is actually a head smaller than Chanyeol. Nevertheless, he shoulders almost all of the taller man’s weight, so it seems, and steers them safely and with a secure grip towards the neighboring room.

It’s a small room, only a large bed and a closet on the opposite wall. Kyungsoo guides him onto the mattress, pulling the duvet to the side.

Chanyeol flops down immediately, his sore back and aching bones feeling instant relief at the softness of the mattress. Kyungsoo pulls his shoes off his feet, then approaches him a bit hesitantly, leaning over him.

“Let me?” he asks, hands gripping Chanyeol’s hips and locking on his belt buckle. Chanyeol, barely comprehending, nods, head burying into the pillows.

Kyungsoo loosens the belt, pulls the button of the jeans free and starts tugging at the garment. Chanyeol lifts his hips and legs a bit to help and in no time his clammy jeans are finally off. Kyungsoo’s fingers then find the hem of his sweater, and holding Chanyeol upright, he manages to rid him of it, T-shirt staying on. He hoists his legs to the side to lie properly on the bed, and Chanyeol sighs in relief.

“Thank you,” he murmurs quietly, feeling like heaven must feel in this wonderful bed. Kyungsoo leans over him for a few moments, gently feeling his forehead for a fever. Chanyeol is just staring at Kyungsoo’s face in wonder, but with gratefulness.  
The man’s hand leaves a prickling sensation on his forehead, warm fingers now stroking lightly over his face. The pain disappears.

“Sleep now.”

He sees the smile tilting Kyungsoo’s lips up, and, smiling in reply, lets himself slip into sleep.

\---

When Chanyeol wakes up, he’s disoriented, but feeling so warm and comfortable that he decides it’s not worth to panic. Slowly, he feels around on the soft duvet, the smell of clean, warm sheets calming his mind. His head still aches, but only in a distant sort of way.

Starting to remember his geology project, his hike and his fall, and the encounter with the mysterious forester named Kyungsoo, he groans at the load of information crashing into his brain.

There’s a lamp on the table beside the bed, a bowl with water and a washcloth, and outside the windows there’s only dark. Must be night again. Looking at the ceiling, he again spots small bundles of plants hanging there, drying in the warm air.

“Oh, god,” he mumbles, trying to heave himself up into a sitting position.

Suddenly, the door opens, and Kyungsoo enters, a steaming bowl in his hands and a bottle of water under his arm.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” he asks, setting the bowl and bottle on the table and taking the chair next to the bed. “Better?”

“Ah, I suppose? But my eyes, my head… everything is so exhausting.”

“Don’t worry. That will go away soon. You hit your head pretty badly.”

Kyungsoo shifts and takes the bowl again.

“Here, you have to eat something. I made some soup earlier, it will help you recover.”

“Thank you,” Chanyeol replies, feeling starved and thirsty all of a sudden. He takes the offered bowl carefully, blows onto the liquid and takes a first sip.

The flavor bursts on his tongue, rushes down his throat warmly, filling his stomach and spreading into every limb, until his toes and fingers tingle pleasantly.

“Oh wow, what’s this? This is amazing,” he says, awed, and goes on to take further sips of the soup.

“Secret recipe, I’m afraid,” Kyungsoo answers, a small grin tugging at his lips.

When Chanyeol has finished the bowl, he sets it down and gives a content little sigh. Kyungsoo goes to take it to the kitchen again, and Chanyeol starts to extricate himself from the sheets, setting his feet onto the carpet cautiously. He pushes himself up, takes a shaky step, and another, until his vision tilts and he sways in the direction of the doorframe, missing the door and preparing for the fall.

A small whimper escapes his throat, he clenches his eyes, but the impact never comes.

Strong arms wrap themselves around his waist, pulling him into the opposite direction, and stabilizing him upright against a firm, warm body. Chanyeol clings to him with all he’s got.

“You shouldn’t get up on you own yet. You still need at least a day’s rest, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo admonishes.

Chanyeol trembles and lets himself be steered towards the bed again, where Kyungsoo sets him down again. As Chanyeol still clings to him, he gets dragged down with him, both falling onto the sheets together.

“I’m sorry,” Chanyeol croaks, embarrassed, “I do not want to burden you. You did so much for me already and I just- I cannot do anything. You even gave me your bed,” he whimpers.

“I said it’s okay,” Kyungsoo says into Chanyeol’s chest, and pushes himself up when Chanyeol lets go. “You should probably take a bath, though, I’m sure I have some spare clothes somewhere.”

Chanyeol feels his face heat at the flush he spots on Kyungsoo’s cheeks. Chanyeol scolds himself inwardly, what did he think, just pulling the other man to his chest.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats, and then, quietly, “Okay.”

Kyungsoo is already rummaging in the drawers of his closet, pulling out a pair of sweats, boxers, and a large shirt a couple of moments later.

“I’ll help you walk to the bath,” he says after a moment. He seems to hesitate a bit, before asking, “What did you do in my forest, by the way?”

Chanyeol pipes up at that. “Oh, I was hiking towards a quarry not so far from here. I’m a geology student and have to do a project about the structural layers of the area here in the forest. I wanted to find a place to set up my tent, but then I must have tripped over something; I fell and when I woke it was dark and there was a light I saw. I thought I could find some help there… which I did. I’m forever indebted to you.”

“Ah, that explains all the measuring devices and notebooks…” Kyungsoo mumbles, and then leads Chanyeol to the adjacent room, which is so small that the bathtub takes up half of the entire space.

There’s already steaming water in it, and Kyungsoo puts the clothes onto the sink, together with a large white towel.

“Think you can make it on your own? Or shall I help you…?”

Chanyeol’s cheeks flame up again. “N-no, I can do it.” He fiddles with the hem of his T-shirt.

“Okay, I’ll check upon you in twenty minutes,” Kyungsoo says and leaves Chanyeol in the room, closing the door behind him.

What a strange man. In this strange house. A bathtub? In a wooden house, in the middle of nowhere, deep in the forests? Chanyeol starts lifting his shirt over his head and has to steady himself on the sink as his head does not like getting stuck.

However, he makes do with the rest of his clothes without problems and lowers himself into the hot bath, groaning in relief as his body sinks into the water.

The further bathing procedure goes well, and after he’s pulled on the clothes Kyungsoo gave him, the shirt a bit too tight on his shoulders, but long enough, he opens the door and finds Kyungsoo already on his way to take his arm and guide him back to the bedroom. If he notices a faint blush on the man’s cheeks again as his gaze wanders briefly over Chanyeol’s body, he manages to not give anything more away. The color in his cheeks makes Kyungsoo look even more handsome in Chanyeol’s eyes.  
Good thing Chanyeol’s face is already red from the steam and the hot water, so his own flush is well covered.

“I have to go work a bit,” Kyungsoo says when he has redressed Chanyeol’s cut on his forehead and they got him into a fresh set of sheets again.

“What do you do for work?” Chanyeol inquires curiously, looking at Kyungsoo.

“Watching over my forest,” Kyungsoo states proudly, “See if everything is in order, or if there are some geology students stumbling around, needing my help.”

Chanyeol hides his face behind his hands, groaning.

“Hey, just a joke. It’s really no problem. It’s actually not often the case that someone comes by here, and sometimes it’s very lonely for a long time. So, I’m really okay with you staying a bit,” Kyungsoo affirms, straightening his sweater when he gets up. “I’ll be back by morning. If you recover well, you could probably continue your project the day after tomorrow, I think” he adds as an afterthought, more to himself than to anyone. “Rest well, Chanyeol.”

“Thank you,” Chanyeol manages, still embarrassed and red-faced, and when Kyungsoo leaves, before he can stop himself, he adds, “Take care!”

He then buries back into the sheets, cringing at how domestic everything feels, even though he knows Kyungsoo only for 24 hours. 

Still, it feels so natural, being here, being cared for. He supposes as long as he cannot leave anyway, he can revel in the circumstances still a bit more. 

He sighs deeply.

Musing about his situation, and since he’s been here relatively long already, his friends probably wonder why he hasn’t contacted them or updated them on his journey. He reaches for his phone on the bedside table, at glancing at the illuminated screen, and is elated to find that he has reception. Only one of four bars, and only at the lowest transmission rate, but it would work for a few plain messages. 

He fires one message into their group chat, stating that he is okay and would probably take a few days longer than planned. He also tells them that he’s found shelter with a forester, so that he won’t have to sleep out in a tent for too long. Jongdae had cackled loudly for ages when Chanyeol had told them he’d have to set up the tent and manage the whole thing by his clumsy self, with no support at all. He can almost hear Jongdae’s shouting when he finds that Chanyeol’s luck has gotten him an easy way out of that potential misery.

Another message goes to Sehun, stating what happened in a bit more detail, and not sparing trivia on the forester, maybe even gushing a bit (a lot) about his handsome looks and how kind he is. Sehun immediately replies with five emojis laughing tears and hearts, and they go a bit back and forth about the events. Chanyeol may or may not have used the heart eyes emoji one time too many, describing Kyungsoo’s eyes, his jawline, his lips, his short black hair and his well-built frame.

Sehun just chides him to take care, not overexert himself in recovery and wishes him luck in possibly making a move on Kyungsoo. After making more than enough fun of him for his clumsiness, of course.

Chanyeol smiles into the pillow nevertheless when he lays the phone down on the table again.

Should he really indulge so much? Admiring Kyungsoo for his looks and his help may be one thing, but actually acting on it? He knows next to nothing about the man, except that he seems to be a forester and works at night - which is strange when he comes to think about it -, but anything else? He seems to like living in the solitude, even when it appears to be a bit much sometimes; he seems to like herbs, and he clearly loves his forest. He also likes to manifest from cold air and knows always immediately when Chanyeol needs him.

But although Kyungsoo has been exceptionally nice to him, gentle in his interactions, he cannot just assume that the attraction is mutual. 

Pressing his face into the pillow, Chanyeol finds rest within a few minutes, slipping again into a dreamless sleep.

\---

When he wakes this time though, it is still light outside.

His head seems to be a lot better than the night before.

He feels warm, safe, and heavy; weighed down into the mattress. It’s a pleasant sensation, though. Taking a deep breath, he feels some pressure on his chest, so he stretches a bit, opening his eyes lazily.

His breath catches in his throat as he notices Kyungsoo lying half on his body. He freezes, holding his breath, not wanting to disturb the man. Kyungsoo’s left arm is slung around his upper torso, his head lying on Chanyeol’s shoulder. Kyungsoo lies on his front, facing away from Chanyeol, one of his legs tucked in between Chanyeol’s. Chanyeol’s left arm is holding his body, hand splayed on his back, warmth seeping through the material of his shirt.

Chanyeol feels hot all of a sudden, he tries to breathe normally, but he exhales with a shudder as his lungs force in fresh air subsequently.

“Stop freaking out,” a deep voice grumbles, “Did you think I’d give you the bed and sleep on the couch?”

“Uhh, I- I’m sorry,” Chanyeol whispers, flushed hot all over. So, he didn’t give him the bed just completely selflessly…

“I suggest you go back to sleep. I don’t like being up during the day.” Kyungsoo shifts his legs, pulling them back, but tightens his arm around him.

“’s nice like this, please stay?” he murmurs, and Chanyeol thinks he must have misheard.

He’s currently _lying in bed_ with his newfound crush, in what could only be called a _lover’s embrace,_ and Kyungsoo seemingly does not mind at all.

Maybe he’s died on that muddy track in the woods after all.

He tries to calm down enough to go back to sleep, but he’s so keyed up, he can’t seem to properly breathe. Kyungsoo notices, of course, and huffs before he turns towards Chanyeol, manhandling him onto his side to actually spoon him. Chanyeol suppresses a whimper when Kyungsoo’s hand slides over his tense belly, settling his arm under his elbow across his chest and tugging his knees behind Chanyeol’s thighs. 

He is _on fire._

“Calm down, Chanyeol. Sleep. All’s okay,” Kyungsoo slurs into Chanyeol’s neck, and Chanyeol takes a deep breath, and wills his body to obey. Just this _once!_

This time, when he exhales, the tension seems to leave his body together with his breath, and he settles, still a bit shyly, into the embrace.

Kyungsoo appears to be already asleep again, judging by his deep, even breaths.

Chanyeol listens to his heartbeat. He feels safe here, with Kyungsoo, and although there is a low tingling strongly resembling butterflies in his stomach, he manages to let go enough to fall asleep as well.

\---

Awaking the second time, he is alone in bed again. It’s almost dark outside. For a short moment, he is not sure if he has dreamt all this cuddling with _Kyungsoo,_ in his _bed,_ but then the door opens, and a very sleepy, soft looking Kyungsoo stumbles into the room.

He wears a long-sleeved shirt and shorts, all black again, his hair stands up at the front and back, his eyes are opened just to small slits.

He lets himself fall into the bed next to Chanyeol, pulling the covers back over them both.

“Feeling better?” he asks, blinking slowly, turning to look at Chanyeol, lying opposite of him, bodies facing each other.

Chanyeol barely nods, caught in watching Kyungsoo’s face, lets his gaze roam over the handsome features, recognizing the sparkle even in his half-lidded eyes. His mouth is opened just so, lips looking full and soft and pale red. His cheeks are flushed a little, his eyes move lazily over Chanyeol’s face.

There’s still gauze on Chanyeol’s wound, but it’s only thin as the wound seems to have healed surprisingly fast.

Their eyes meet.

Kyungsoo’s hand reaches up slowly, sliding up his abdomen to his chest, brushing over his pecs lightly. Traveling further up, he lets his fingertips trail feather-lightly over his jaw before he pokes his eyebrow gently. 

Chanyeol gasps. He feels like he burns up from the inside.

The tension builds and builds until he cannot suppress a full body shiver at Kyungsoo’s touch anymore.

He gulps, his eyes slide briefly down to Kyungsoo’s lips, hesitating there for a second or two, before they snap up again.

“Can I,” he whispers, voice breaking; hypnotized by the galaxies in Kyungsoo’s dark brown eyes, “Can I kiss you?”

He’s already halfway there, Kyungsoo’s breath fanning over his face like on their first meeting.

Kyungsoo blinks slowly once, then twice, and closes the remaining distance, eyes slipping closed the moment their lips touch.

Chanyeol lets out an embarrassing little whimper at the soft feel of the other man’s lips on his. This. This is it.

They slowly deepen the kiss, lips sliding softly, pressing firmly against each other, both breathing the other in. Kyungsoo shifts his hand down from Chanyeol’s jaw along his shoulder to his waist, the other coming up between them to stroke his neck. Chanyeol’s hands find Kyungsoo’s arms, grip his bicep firmly, and he trembles when all space between them vanishes and their bodies are pressed together almost from head to toe, legs tangling.

The kiss turns more sensual, both opening their mouths the same moment, their tongues touch, sliding wetly, twisting, sucking. Kyungsoo’s teeth pull his lower lip into his mouth a bit and he sucks at Kyungsoo’s upper lip instantly, tongue licking his philtrum, before they kiss again more heatedly.

Lazily making out turns into hot open-mouthed kisses, and Chanyeol groans softly as Kyungsoo pants into his mouth. His hands find Kyungsoo’s back, his nape, he presses the other as close as he can, losing himself in the kiss, in the other man’s firm body, in his warm embrace.

Sliding his mouth towards Kyungsoo’s jaw, kissing the bone and giving firm little licks to the soft skin on his neck, he sucks a dark mark into the flesh just above the pulse point, teeth worrying the skin briefly.

“Ah, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo gasps, fingers clenching into Chanyeol’s hips. They slip below the seam of his shirt, sliding over the hot skin and goosebumps rush all over Chanyeol’s body.

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol moans, gasps into his neck, and again, deliriously, _”Kyungsoo.”_ He sucks another mark just below the man’s ear, then pulls back a little to stare into his eyes again.

“Your eyes… you are so beautiful,” he whispers, and Kyungsoo smiles breathlessly, surging into another heated kiss.

“I’m so glad I met you,” Chanyeol manages between kisses, the need to say it out loud strong. 

“Me too, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo whispers, stroking his back, brushing his nose against Chanyeol’s gently. “Will you stay a bit longer, with me?” Kyungsoo sucks a kiss onto his upper lip, then presses soft, barely-there kisses to his nose, his cheeks, his eyelids. “Will you be mine?” he adds, almost inaudibly.

Chanyeol feels elated, his stomach full of butterflies and sparking sensations are rushing through his limbs.

“Yeah,” he can only breathe out, “Fuck yeah, if you’ll have me…”

Kyungsoo pushes himself up, grabs Chanyeol and rolls on top of him, pressing him into the cushions with his weight. He is surprisingly strong. Chanyeol gasps as air is punched out of him. He revels in the feel of the other’s body on top of his and his arms lock around Kyungsoo in a firm grasp immediately, pulling him down completely.

Kyungsoo’s arms come to rest next to his head, his hands cradling his face tenderly, thumbs caressing Chanyeol’s cheeks, before he leans in again for a few slow kisses. They take their time in the slide of their lips, tasting and memorizing the feel of each other.

“Chanyeol, I’ll have you since the moment I saw you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> (Hope I didn't overdo it with the woods and trees.)
> 
> This has a sequel: _[Into his hands](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21886996)_


End file.
